Wheeled carrier



17, 1946. s. socHAczEwsKl 2,412,691

WHEELED CARRIER Filed Dec. 15, 1943 F/GZ.

In venio r A ttorney Patented Dec. 17, 1946 UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICEApplication December 15, 1943", SerialfNb. 514L335"? In.Great Britain July'1'5, 1943 This invention relatestowheeled carriers;v

Theobje'ct of the invention is toprovide a carrier which can bemanuallypropelled on which can be readily coupled togetherin numbers for haulingby'a' motor vehicle; a'particular application-of the-inventionbeingto'acarrier'for ammunition of small calibre; e: g.', for small arms;automatic weapons and the like; suchas is frequently packed inbandoleers and belts;

One form-of carriera'ccording to the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing; wherein-- Figure 1 i'sa perspective view of-"thecomplete carrier when not in use; I

Figure 2 1s a= perspective'view of the carrier loaded" with ammunitiombelts and ready for manual propulsion;

Figure 3 illustrates-how the carriers may be coupled together in tandemfor mechanical propUElOIl; and

Figure 4; is a detail view-illustrating how the bandoleers are connectedtogether toform a long' belt for winding on the carrier.

Referring firstto-Figure K of the drawing, the carrier comprises twowheels I, I, fixedly mounted on the ends of an axle 2 passing through ahub or cylinder 3 the ends of which are welded to the spokes of thewheels I, I. The ends of the axle also carry a, rectangular framecomprising two U-shaped parts 4, 5, of which part 4 is rurnished at eachof its two ends with a sleeve 6 loosely engaging the end of the axle,and, along each of its sides with two pins I, 8, adapted to engagerespectively in apertures 9, ID, in the two side arms of the part 5. Theend member of the part 4 has two inwardly projecting pins I I, l I, thepurpose of which will be described hereafter. The part carries twoskid-like parts I2, l2, the lowest parts of which in the position shownin Figure 1 are a little above the ground. These skids are slidablymounted on the frame part 5 by means of sleeves [3, I4, engaging theside arms of the frame, the sleeves l3, l4 being welded to the skids l2.Each sleeve [4 is provided with two slots. The eyelets, in the positionshown in Figure 1, engage the ends of the axle 2 and each eyelet IE isengaged by one of the slots in one of the sleeves I4. A ring I8 iswelded on the end of the frame part 5 and a coupling hook I! looselymounted on the frame is confined by the ring l8.

Figure 4 illustrates an ammunition band made up by connecting a numberof cartridge bandoleers together. The bandoleers l9 are formed at bothends with flaps 20 carrying a button 2| and buttonhole 22 and a tie 23.The bandoleers are con- 2; nected up bypassinglthe button 2I 01 one flap2i} through thebut'tonh'ole 221 of another flap 2%. Five of the bandsthus obtained can be connected to thehub 3 by engaging the freebuttonlioles 22-respectivel'y at the ends of the bands withcorresponding hooks'24 provided in a: row on the hub, and can be woundtliereon by rotating the wheels and hub. The outer ends of the bands canthen be connected by ties 23 with a bar 25 having enlarged ends 265which can be engaged against the spokes of: the: wheels I, as clearlyshown in'- Figure 2.

In: order to use theframe' part 5. asa handle as shown in Figure 2theeyelets lFaresprung' 01f the ends of theraxle' 2 andiith'e sleeves I3;l4 are" shifted axially to disengage the sleeves 4 from the eyelets i5;Then,l.the p'a'rt 5 isrotated around the pins 1: until: it is inalignnient with the part4 whereupon'sthe pins 8 are engaged re--spectively in theapertures: Id, theskids: l2 being swung towards' ea'chiother on top of the fr'a'meandthen' shifted a'xially to the positionsl-iown inFi'g; 2 in-which the other slots iii-the sleeves" l4 e'ngagethe eyelets l5t The f ra'ine 4; 5 can now be used as a rigid handle inthe usual way, the handle being pivotally mounted. on the axle 2. Inorder to restore the part 5 to the position shown in Figure 1 the sidearms of part 5 are pressed outwards to release the pins 8 from theapertures, and the part 5 swung back around the pivotal connectionsformed by the pins 1 engaging the apertures 9 into the position ofFigure 1, the eyelets 15 being re-engaged over the ends of the axle 2.In this'position a number of carriers can be coupled in tandem byengaging the hook I I (which has a safety catch) of one carrier over thecross bar of the part 4, between the two pins H thereon, as shown inFigure 3. The assembly can then be coupled up to a motor vehicle. Theskids [2 do not normally touch the ground and are provided to preventoverturning of the carriers in the case of bumpy ground, sudden turnsand the like.

A wheeled carrier made according to the inhalfway of the length of thelatter to be swingable about an axis parallel to the wheel axle,- meansto secure said second frame element rigidly relative to said first frameelement in a position in which the two elements are disposed insubstantially the same plane on opposite sides of the axle so as to forma rigid rectangular frame around the carrier pivoted to the axlethereof, and cooperating means on the legs of said two frame elements,respectively, for securing the two frame elements rigidly together in analternative position in which the two elements aredisposed insubstantially the same plane on the same side of the axle whereby thesecond frame element serves as a handle for manually propelling andguiding the carrier. a

2. A wheeled carrier, as claimed in claim 1, in which the legs of saidsecond frame element are resilient and said means for securing saidsecond frame element relative to said first frame element in said firstposition includes eyelets on'the legs of said second frame element at adistance from their free ends equal to the distance of said pivot pointfrom the axle, said eyelets being formed and arranged to be sprung onthe outer ends of said axle, said means for securing said frame elementsrigidly together in said second position including pins projecting fromthe legs of one frame element for engagement into holes provided in thelegs of the other frame element.

3. A Wheeled carrier, as claimed in claim 1, including a cylindrica1 hubsurrounding said axle and fixedly connected at its ends to said wheels,

4 and means provided on said hub for connecting a load thereto.

4. A wheeled carrier, as claimed in claim 1, including two skid likeframe members for stabilizing the carrier when travelling, said framemembers being attached to the legs of one of said frame elements so asto extend substantially outwardly and downwardly from each wheel to aplane a short distance above the ground when said frame elements aresecured in said first po- ""sition and the rectangular frame formed bysaid elements is maintained in a substantially horizontal plane.

5. A wheeled carrier, as claimed in claim 1, including two skid likeframe members for stabilizing the carrier when travelling, said framemembers being pivotally attached to the legs of one of said frameelements for rocking movement about the longitudinal axes of said legs,respectively, means for securin each frame-member relative to the leg towhich it is attached in an operative position in which it extendssubstantially outwardly and downwardly from the adjacent wheel to aplane a short distance above the ground when said frame elements aresecured maintained in a substantially horizontal plane.

6. A wheeled carrier, as claimed in claim'l. in: cluding a hook on oneof said frame elements whereby a number of carriers with their frameelements secured in said first position can be coupled together intandem by engagin the hook on one rectangular frame with the unhookedend of another rectangular frame.

STANISLAW SOCHACZEWSKI.

